Forum with Quebec Minister Martine Biron Held…Discussions on the Education of Women Leaders and Global Cooperation
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2025-06-30
On Friday, June 27, our university hosted a forum inviting Canadian Quebec government officials, including Minister Martine Biron, to discuss the status of women and their advancement in academia.
The event was attended by Martine Biron, Quebec’s Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie (also responsible for the status of women), along with Catherine Pouliot, Chief of Staff to the Minister; Dominique Marcotte, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief of Protocol; Damien Pereira, Representative of the Quebec Government Office in Seoul; and Lee Yoonhee, Director of Cultural and Educational Cooperation. From our university, President Moon Si-yeun, Dean of International Affairs Chun Seh-jae, and nine professors affiliated with the Korean Association of Women Professors participated in the forum.
President Moon and Minister Biron first discussed the current status of education and exchange programs within Korea’s French Language & Literature departments, including our university’s Department of French Language & Culture, as well as the potential for collaboration with ‘La Francophonie’, an international organization representing French-speaking countries. As the only French-speaking region in North America, Quebec presents a valuable opportunity, and our university aims to use this partnership as a stepping stone to further strengthen its network and cooperation with Francophone regions.
Following this, a roundtable discussion was held under the theme “The Status of Women in Quebec and Korea, and the Advancement of Women in Academia.” After presentations by Minister Biron and Dean of International Affairs Chun Seh-jae, participants freely exchanged views on women's policies in both countries. The discussion explored strategies to promote women’s participation in society and to foster the next generation of female leaders.
This visit was arranged as a follow-up exchange to the March visit by a delegation from the Quebec Government Office in Seoul and representatives from major universities in Quebec. It is expected to serve as a foundation for our university's growth into a hub for Korean Wave (Hallyu)-oriented global education, including in the Francophone world.
Currently, our university has established agreements with 12 universities across Canada, including HEC Montréal, a sister university in Quebec. Moving forward, the university plans to continue strengthening partnerships with leading universities and institutions around the world, with a focus on cultivating female talent and enhancing global leadership.
Dean of International Affairs Chun Seh-jae added, “We hope the visit by Minister Martine Biron and the Quebec delegation will deepen academic and cultural exchange between Sookmyung Women’s University and Quebec,” highlighting, “We will continue to build new models of international cooperation based on women’s leadership and global networking.”